MATTHEW OF WESTMINSTER
The flowers of history, especially such as relate to the affairs of Britain. Vol. I. B.C. 4004 to A.D. 1066.
page 318

A.D. 655. PENSA INT AD Ε θ NORTHUMBERLAND.
309
the king's chair : but all these things were done in a royal
village, which was called Eastree.
When, therefore, the remains of these holy youths had been collected, to be carried away on biers, the archbishop ordered that they should be carried to Christ's Church, in Canterbury ; but in vain, for they could not be moved, although they strove with all their efforts to do so. Therefore, he changed his intention, and ordered them to be carried to the church of Saint Augustine ; but still they could do nothing in the way of moving them. At last*it was arranged that they should be carried to that most celebrated monastery at Wearin ; and when this design was adopted, then they lifted the biers with as little difficulty as if they had no burden at all on them. And when they came to the monastery, the funeral solemnities were duly performed by the archbishop, and they buried the bodies of the holy youths near the high altar ; and in that place, by the divine mercy, many wonderful miracles are wrought to the praise of God, and to the glory of these youths.
It happened, at this time, that Ermenburga, the sister of the king, having repudiated her husband; the son of Penda, king of Mercia, with his own consent, determined to lead a chaste life. And when she, with her family, had come to her brother, and had intimated her design to him, he gave her the place indicated as that of the before-mentioned vision, when, having built a monastery in honour of the martyrs, Ermenburga, beloved of God, offered up to God, in union with the nuns who were associated with her, the fruit of good conversation, and at last rested in the Lord. At this time, also, Botolph built a church at Hiccanhoe.
A.D . 655. Penda, king of Mercia, at the instigation of Cadwallon, king of the Britons, invaded Northumberland with an immense army which he had collected. But Oswy, being compelled by necessity, promised him many presents and royal ornaments, in order to induce him to abandon his warlike designs, and return amicably to his own land. But when he could be prevailed on neither by bribes or prayers, the king fled to divine aid, to be delivered from the impiety of the barbarian ; and, binding himself by a vow, said—" If that pagan
refusée to receive our gifts, we will offer them to the Lord our God, who knows how to accept them." Therefore, he vowed that if he were victorious, he would dedicate his daughter to the Lord in sacred virginity, and would also give twelve farms

"Medievalist" is an educational project designed as a digital collection of chronicles, documents and studies related to the middle age history. All materials from this site are permitted for non commersial use unless otherwise indicated. If you reduplicate documents from here you have to indicate "Medievalist" as a source and place link to us.